Tazeen Akhtar
Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of Air Staff of Pakistan Air Force has discussed cooperation with Azerbaijan Air Force in Baku in two high level meetings with the defense officials of the host brotherly country. The Pakistani delegation is on an official visit to Azerbaijan. The officials of both countries noted that the defense cooperation is developing successfully.
Azerbaijan Military especially Air Force has proved its capabilities to defense of the motherland recently in Second Karabakh War last year. Azerbaijan liberated Illegally occupied territories by Armenia in this war. Now there is no Nagorno-Karabakh dispute in the region.
Pakistan and Azerbaijan have been trustworthy friends since the independence of Azerbaijan. Both countries support each other through thick and thin. Pakistan supported Azerbaijan in Second Karabakh War. Both countries have established and strengthened close relations in defense and defense production sphere.
Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, Deputy Minister of Defense – Commander of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Ramiz Tahirov and First Deputy Minister of Defense, Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev welcomed the Pakistani delegation led by Air Chief Marshal at there offices. Both parties held negotiations on delegation level to enhance military cooperation between the two air forces.
Ambassador of Pakistan to Azerbaijan Mr. Bilal Hayee was also present in meeting with the Defense Minister.
On June 29, the Minister of Defense , Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, met with Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.Welcoming the guests, the Defense Minister stressed that there is traditional friendship and mutual trust between our peoples, as well as Azerbaijani-Pakistani relations and strategic partnership are developing.
Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, the Commander of the Air Force of Pakistan emphasized that there are historically friendly ties between the peoples of the two countries. It was noted that Azerbaijani-Pakistani relations have expanded in various directions and strengthened significantly and that there is a great potential for bilateral military cooperation.
The sides discussed issues of further expansion of relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in the military, military-technical, and military-educational spheres.
In another meeting, Lieutenant General R. Tahirov emphasized that the development of cooperation between the two countries in the field of military aviation has made an important contribution to further strengthening the combat capability of both countries’ armies.
In his turn, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer noted that the study of Azerbaijani military pilots at the Pakistan Air Force Academy, as well as the training of his country’s Air Force helicopter crews in Azerbaijani aviation training centers is a clear example of successful cooperation between the two countries in the field of military aviation.
The sides exchanged views on the prospects for the development of cooperation between the Azerbaijani and Pakistani Air Forces and discussed issues of mutual interest.
In a separate call on , First Deputy Minister of Defense Colonel General Karim Valiyev, met with a delegation led by the Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.
Colonel General K. Valiyev expressed satisfaction with the level of traditional friendly and fraternal relations between the two countries. The Chief of the General Staff stressed the importance of further expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in the fields of security, defense, military, military-technical and military-educational spheres, as well as intensifying mutual visits at the level of expert groups.
Expressing satisfaction with the visit to Azerbaijan, the Commander of the Pakistan Air Force, in turn, stressed the importance of holding such meetings and expanding mutual ties in strengthening relations between the countries.
